Detachable meter



APrivl 6{1931 A. J. ALL-EN ET AL 2,076,491

DETACHABLE METER Original Filed Jan. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fy. 1. 2 .2: I z

Lu: fiL A ITNESSES: INVENTORS.

w 2 Alba/'2 JAZZan and h z'lgym M Brads/M20.

AT N EY Apn'l 6, 1937. A. J. ALLEN ET AL DETACHABLEMETER Original Filed Jan. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTORS. Albert J Alla/7 and Wi/ Qbm MB/vdsfiaw.

ATT% y F i v Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs DETACHABLE METER sylvanla Application January 3, 1935, Serial No. 234 Renewed February 28, 1936 Claims.

Our invention relates to electrical metering systems and more specifically to an improved method of mounting a plurality of watthour meters for measuring the energy consumption of an apartment-house, ofllce building, or the like.

In buildings containing a number of individual electrical-energy consumers where it is desired to separately measure the energy requirements of each consumer, it is sometimes diflicult and inconvenient to mount all of the necessary watthour meters at a centralized point. In some cases, all of the meters are mounted in a separate cabinet, requiring a substantial amount of space and leaving the service and load connections exposed to dust and unauthorized tampering. The conservation of space is usually an important factor and the problem of properly connecting the various meters to their respectiv circuits is somewhat complicated. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting for a plurality of watthour meters which utilizes a. conduit of channel-shape to facilitate the mounting and connection of the meters for service.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a meter mounting wherein individual meters may be readily placed into circuit and taken from the circuit by a thrust movement; the meter itself constituting the electrical connection between the supply and service conductors.

In practicing the invention, a conduit of conventional channel shape is employed having two longitudinally extending compartments. One compartment contains the supply or service lines r and the other the branch or load lines to the various circuits to be measured. The open face of the channel is closed by a plurality of apertured overlapping plates, each plate carrying contacts electrically connected respectively with the service conductors and respective load conductors. A watthour meter having contacts projecting from the base thereof in a manner well known in the art is adapted to be secured to each plate with the respective contacts in electrical engage- I ment, by a suitable sealing ring.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in elevation of a portion of a conduit channel and a plate secured to it in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an assembly view, in elevation, of a meter mounted in accordance with the present invention; and,

Fig. 4 is an exploded" view in perspective of the various elements constituting the invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 4, the invention contemplates a conduit channel 2 having a longitudinally extending partition 4. The upper chamber defined by the partition may be employed to receive the supply or service conductors and the lower channel may house the various load conductors leading to the consumers translating devices. The disposition of these various conductors is indicated in Fig. 2, it being understood that although only four load conductors are shown, it is contemplated that there will be two conductors for each of the plates 8, as hereinafter set forth.

The open face of the channel is covered by a plurality of square plates 6 having complementary overlapping edges 8, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the channel. Any desired number of plates may be employed, depending upon the number of meters used, and the portion of the channel not covered by the plates 5, as well as the open ends of the channel, may be closed in any suitable manner.

Each plate 6 is provided with an aperture surrounded by an upstanding flange ID, as shown. Four lugs l2 are provided at the inner base of the flange III; two being for disposition on each side of the partition I. From each pair of lugs l2 a plate ll of insulating material is suspended by means of rivets i6 and suitable spacer elements l8 (Figs. 1 and 2).

Contact jaws 20 are mounted upon the plates it, each having a terminal screw 2| in the upper chamber of the channel for connection, in parallel, to the supply conductors. The terminal screws 2| in the lower chamber of the channel are connected to the respective load conductors of the circuits to be metered.

The plate 6 with the contacts 20 may be readily removed as a unit and is maintained in position by suitable securing means, such as machine screws 22 cooperating with threaded openings in the iii-turned flanges of the channel 2.

A watthour meter 30, referring to Fig. 4, comprising a base plate 32 and a glass cover 34 enclosing the meter mechanism, is provided with knife blade contacts 36 in a manner disclosed plots tlie meter co .serl to engage the contacts O. The arrangement is sue meter is plccecl position l in enc'egement, c circuit is compleall y conductors through the meter t porticnlai" loco conductors l" lic ring uir einents for sun ins on in the prior prize "log the meters.

:ernoval or J of a particular meter 121535 fecti 'elv employed to connect disconnect it e ticular custoiners service, and the th mselves readily detachable to facilitate tion, repair and. testing. Because the one are all grouped in one position, perioclic reading and inspection is facilitated. ll lien o removed, for any reason, it cover piste colon" in position lav ring ill, to prevent the connections in the channel. -sinpering is further clis our-goal interlocking between the orclecl by the overlepi ng edges 8,

to :Jl'". 3, the plate in tne center-pa moved, even ough the machine screws ,1

remove until plate on its l is removed. in ofiei to remove a plate, tile me or sealed to some intermediate point t 1e row of meters, it is. therefore necess '"v to remove the plates *t of it, one a.v 'ie,

c s cc c i limitations be placed. upon opt imposel so our invention:

inetion with e. conceit of c or enclosing supply and loca conclu o, iticn extending longitudinally oi the con duit for separating said. supply and local con" cluctoi's, means for closing clia" nel compil a plurality of plate nieni'ners reniovelil se cu ed to said channel in ecige-to-eclge interloc n r lotion anti each listing contacts @lECllil cally connected to said; supply conductors and load conductors, respectively, an. electricol incesminginstrument associatecl with eecli r and having contacts dispose-cl to cooperate with said plate contacts to ineesin'e the energy transmitted between said supply and ioccl conductors, and means for detacliobly securing said instruments to said plate members, respectively.

2. In combination with a conduit channel con-- taining electrica conductors, a plate proportioned to bridge said channel, an aperture in said plate, contacts carried by said; plate registering with said aperture and adapted to be connected to said conductors, means for securing said plate in operative position, on electrical instrument having loose substantially co-extensive in lateral dimensions with said plate aperture and or cletoclicl nel conproporto ornge so g in position, electrical contacts ccriiecl cl p ste within s ici channel for co ectlou, to cert 1 cl. sold conclucto an aperture in said plate exposing contacts, on unstancl og collm: surrounding s ici r c nl totally extending flange outer pehereof, on electn'cnl instrument -clispocecl to engage soicl piste contacts end having; base propo 'onezl to u on the ezztenrlii i "n e ineens go and.

the instrument in operative nos on.

coin' oin t on with plurality of electric s eacli linv ig contact menus on th; casing coinp g on elongotecl member: oi oi inel-sliope listing disposed. therein service conductors for the circuits to be individually metered and supply conductors common to soicl meters, at mounting plate for each meter proportioned to bridge scicl channel member and having on opening therein proportioned. to be closed by 2, meter casing, means for securing said plates in substantially edge-to-eclge relation to close a length of said. channel member, a, plurality of contacts mounted on each of said plates for engagement with the respective meter contacts, certain of the contests of each plate being electrically connected to said cor inon sup ly conductors in parallel and others lacing connected to individual service conductors, and means for securing said. meters to saicl plates in contact engaging position.

l-l meter installation comprising 9, meter cosin having contact menus secured thereto, receptacle for enclosing service and supply conciuctors for energizing the meter movement Within rising c. an aperture therein proportioned closed by meter casing, contact means Ie said casing contacts ion to close saicl speru. mounting for meter casing lieving conmeans secured, thereto, comprising a support "nc ing on opening therein for receiving said contoot means, a cont-not assembly comprising a member having an aperture therein registering with the opening in said support and moons for securing it to said support, a plurality of contact means carried by said member disposed to engage the cont ct moons on said motor casing, means for electrically connecting the contact means on said member to an electrical circuit, and means for securing said motor casing to said member with corresponding contact means on said casing and member in engagement.

'7. A meter mounting comprising a support hoving an opening therein, a, plurality of contact means and means for mounting them within said opening, a peripheral flange surrounding said opening, an encased meter mechanism having a portion of the casing thereof proportioned to seat on said flange to close said opening, a plurality of contact means on said casing disposed to engage said first mentioned contact means when the casing is seated on the flange in operative position, and means for securing said casing in Operative position.

8. An installation for electric meters, of the type having contacts projecting from the base thereof, comprising an elongated channel or trough open at the front from end to end to provide a continuous receptacle for receiving supply and service conductors, a closure for the front of said channel comprising a plurality of plates, means for securing said plates to said channel in substantially edge-to-edge relation, means for preventing access to the interior of said channel between adjacent plates, each of said plates having an aperture therein proportioned to be closed by one of said meters, and means exposed through said apertures for electrically connecting said meter contacts to said supply and service conductors.

2o 9. An installation for electric meters, of the having contacts projecting from the base thereof, comprising an elongated channel or trough open at the front from end to end to provide a continuous receptacle for receiving supply and service conductors, a closure for the front of said channel comprising a pluralityv of plates, means for securing said plates to said channel in substanttally edge-to-edge relation, means for preventing access to the interior of said channel between adjacent plates, each of said plates having an aperture therein proportioned to be closed by one of said meters, and means exposed through said apertures for electrically connecting said meter contacts to said supply and service conductors; said means including a contact assembly supported by said plate the contacts of which are disposed to engage the meter contacts when the meter is in aperture-closing position.

10. A support for an electrical measuring lnstrument, of the type which has contacts projecting from the casing thereof for connection to a circuit, comprising a member having an opening therein surrounded by an upstanding rim portion proportioned to receive said instrument casing and surround the contacts projecting therefrom, additional contacts exposed through said opening and means for supporting them in position to engage the casing contacts comprising a bridge extending across said opening and secured to said member adjacent to said rim.

11. A support for an electrical measuring instrument, of the type which has contacts pro-.-

jecting from the casing thereof for connection to a circuit, comprising a member having an opening therein surrounded by an upstanding rim portion proportioned to receive said instrument casing and surround the contacts projecting therefrom, additional contacts exposed through said opening and means for supporting them in position to engage the casing contacts, a block of insulating material to which said additional contacts are secured and means for suspending said block from said member across the opening therein.

12. A mounting for an electrical instrument, of the type having contact blades projecting from a side of the casing thereof, comprising a substantially rectangular receptacle having an open side, a plate for closing such side having an aperture therein, an upstanding flange surrounding said aperture shaped and proportioned to constitute a seat for said instrument casing with the a contact blades thereof projecting into said receptacle, means for securing said plate to the receptacle including a securing device accessible only through said aperture.

13. A mounting for an electrical instrument, of the type having contact means secured to the casing thereof, comprising a-support having an opening therein .proportioned to receive said contact means, a flange surrounding said opening extending normal to the face of the support and then parallel thereto constituting a seat for a portion of the instrument casing in a plane spaced from that of the support, additional contact means and means for supporting them across said opening in position to engage said casing contact means when the instrument is on said seat, and means for securing said instrument to said flange in seated relation.

14. A mounting for an electrical instrument of the type having contacts projecting from the substantially circular base thereof, comprising a socket of ring-shape having outwardly projecting flanges on each edge thereof, one of said flanges constituting a seat for said base and the Amm'r' J. sum. wrnusu M. nnansnaw. 

